Creating a Helpdesk

In this tutorial, you will build a helpdesk ticket system where registered users can submit support requests and your team can respond from the backend. The system includes ticket types, file attachments, a conversation thread, and automated email notifications, all powered by the Responsiv Support plugin.

# What You Will Build

You will create a helpdesk powered by two plugins: RainLab.User for authentication and Responsiv.Support for the ticketing system. The finished helpdesk includes:

• A ticket list page where users see their submitted tickets and their current status
• A submission form for creating new tickets with type selection, Markdown content, and file attachments
• A ticket detail page with a conversation thread showing user and staff messages
• A message editing page for updating posted tickets and replies
• Backend management where support staff respond to tickets, add internal notes, and assign tickets

# Premium Plugins

Responsiv.Support is a premium plugin available from the October CMS Marketplace (opens new window). Premium plugins work exactly like free plugins: you install them the same way and use their components identically. The only difference is that premium plugins require a license to install.

# Prerequisites

Before starting, you should have:

• October CMS installed and running
• A theme with a default layout that includes Tailwind CSS
• User authentication set up with RainLab.User, including the session component on your layout and login/registration pages

If you need to set up user authentication, work through Part 1 of the Forum tutorial first. It covers installing RainLab.User, configuring the session component, and building login, registration, and password reset pages.

# Overview

1. Installing the Plugin: install Responsiv.Support and configure ticket types
2. Ticket List: create the ticket list page for browsing submitted tickets
3. Submit Ticket: build the ticket submission form
4. Ticket Page: display ticket details with a conversation thread and reply form
5. Editing Messages: allow users to edit their submitted tickets and messages

# Next Steps

Continue to Installing the Plugin to get started.